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Posted by: Bogdan Feb 22 2008, 05:04 PM

I want to hear you opinions, many people start with guitar and its often hard to find a bass player? I hear from some people that bass looks/sounds inferior to them generally..Why is that and whats your opinion about that topic ?
These guys give a strong point in this matter : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uC2aur6ezk

Posted by: muntahunta Feb 22 2008, 05:12 PM

most bassists i know start on guitar then after a year or two turn to bass.
i like both, i come up with bass riffs easier than guitar riffs but i could never give up my 6 strings for a measly 4.

maybe thats why... only 4 strings makes some people feel inferior? lol

Posted by: steve25 Feb 22 2008, 05:16 PM

Bass just seems a bit boring to me, so i don't bother with it really. There seems to be a wider range of sounds with guitar and i also think guitar sounds better than bass

Posted by: at lights end Feb 22 2008, 05:17 PM

yeah those are good points.
but there are a lot of well recognised bassists.
like this guy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0tL6K4FeGk&feature=related
and he has 6 strings

it's near impossible to find a bassist round here. and bass is so fun to play, i don't know, maybe it's because many songs don't have particularly interesting bass lines.

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 22 2008, 05:19 PM

But you can buy a 6 string one ? And be a groove beast

Bass can be boring as any other instrument , if you play everything uninterestingly and same it will be boring Your job is to keep a good groove with the drummer and you actually never stop doing it in a song (and you are allowed to have as much fun as you want in it)...Its pulse is what gets people dancing and "feeling" the song

Posted by: Tomotoms Feb 22 2008, 05:23 PM

When I was at school I used to play the tuba and the bass lines I played in school bands were not as interesting as the meldoy parts the trumpets and clarinets had

I suppose more people want to play the melody than the bass line as (generally) it's more melodic.

I think my hands are too small to play bass well anyway.

Also on a casual level, if you can strum a few chords on a guitar you can play a song and have a bit of a sing-a-long. Not so easy to do on a bass.

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 22 2008, 05:28 PM

Now this is a good point here Tomotoms ! Generally you can't play and sing songs alone at home with bass like you would play some chords and sing with guitar.You can but it would sound weird..On the other hand bass can be easier to start with playing full songs because you can use only roots of the chords to follow with the song (simplify it that way)..

Posted by: Smells Feb 22 2008, 05:34 PM

personally I place a larger emphasis (as far as a band goes) on the Bass & Drums, its the heart n soul and main driving force behind any decent band, a decent guitarist is the cherry on the top.

I`m hopeless at playing the Bass, I end up just playing root notes all the time when I do.

Would you say you have to approach the Bass with a different kind of thinking to guitar? thats probably where I go wrong, but not sure.

The Bass feels so weird to me to play, if I`m recording with a Bass and play it for a while the guitar feels like a little tiny toy afterwards

Good Bass players have my respect!

Posted by: mattacuk Feb 22 2008, 05:41 PM

Good question!! I always associate bass players with people who want to get into a groove I see it as very important, its a shame there are not more Bass players !:)

That said, it just dosent appeal to me, the reason im not sure why, I guess guitar seems more appealing - maybe because the lead guitarist is seen as a more glamourous role

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 22 2008, 05:43 PM

Well I think that guitar players think different when composing bass lines and vise versa..Playing roots is a good start , but you should concentrate what the drummer is playing manly with his foot and snare drum.You don't need a same guitar line one octave lower..Try playing with just the drums..Listening to bass drum beats..You can for start lay the root notes on those kicks..Than next safe thing to do is to go for other notes that make up the chords used in progression..Obviously you can't play them at the same time as you would on guitar.So you should make up a little melody around those notes..Also use some passing notes when going for a change, they can be one fret lower than the next root or higher..Find a scale which you are playing and use the note previous to the next root..Bass can be very interesting if you want to make it that way..Important thing is to forget about guitar groove and listen to drums and try to make them more musical (you can play notes on bass and drummer can't).

Posted by: Smells Feb 22 2008, 05:51 PM

Thanks for the tips, I agree it can be interesting, my brother plays Bass and always says I approach it as a "guitarist", I know what he means and I`m sure you know what he means too.
Good point about listening to the drums, I usually think of the bass line in terms of what the guitar is playing, nice, thanks

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Feb 22 2008, 05:56 PM

You have a point Bogdan, Bass guitar is important part of the sound picture. Even if melodies on the bass have often more rhythmic then melodic function, the bass is one cool instrument. Especially in jazz and funk. And please... jazz and funk are the best

Posted by: MickeM Feb 22 2008, 06:26 PM

A few ppl touched the area already and I will emphasis that I belive bass is standing closer to the drums than it is to the guitar.
Bass to me seems like a tricky instrument since it mainly supports the drums and sometimes can add support to what the guitars do then back to rhythm section again.

I would never do good on bass myself. I leave that to the pro's who know their way of driving a rhythm.


So to answer the Q just perhaps the choise stands beween bass or drums, not bass or guitar? ..or did I go too far there?

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 22 2008, 07:17 PM

Well bass is very related to drums..I didn't want to compare people not picking up drums because of obvious reason - you need a lot of space for drums and also can't play it in apartment buildings etc...They are loud..

Posted by: Joe Kataldo Feb 22 2008, 07:20 PM

Because chicks likes guitar player

Posted by: swingline Feb 22 2008, 07:21 PM

I think its because guitarists are put into the limelight of a band. So it is most likely because there will be few bassists to ever hit a popularity point of Zakk Wylde. I play both and like both depending on the genre, Jazz-Bass no doubt, Rock/Metal-Guitar.

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 22 2008, 07:27 PM

I think that in a band nobody will get his spotlight just because of the instrument he plays..He has to earn it with his skill,performance , stage presence...You have people like Flea, Geddy Lee, Billy Sheean , Paul McCartney, Steve Harris..You just have to deserve your spot..Same thing with other instruments..

Posted by: swingline Feb 22 2008, 07:30 PM

Thats true, now my theory is out the window.

Posted by: coffeeman Feb 22 2008, 07:42 PM

Sting, Gene Simmons, Les Claypool.

I've always loved the based , Im looking forward to buy one.

Posted by: Joe Kataldo Feb 22 2008, 07:50 PM

No man, everyone starts to play guitar, to impress girls, really

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 22 2008, 07:53 PM

Thats the (true) reason why we all start to play surly , but what instrument that depends

Posted by: swingline Feb 22 2008, 07:55 PM

What about Elton John.

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 22 2008, 08:08 PM

Can't debate over that one !!

Posted by: JukeboxHero Feb 22 2008, 08:11 PM

Because chicks likes guitar player

I like the way you think.

Posted by: Owen Feb 22 2008, 08:39 PM

Playing bass is not synonymous with my massive guitarist ego.

Posted by: Jakub Luptovec Feb 22 2008, 09:18 PM

Also.. I noticed this even at shredding and more advanced stuff - its NECESARRY to play with band.. otherwise.. as soloist.. you cant show off that much, because without bass, drums etc it doesnt sound that good..

I think, that same goes for bass guitar - its dependant on other instruments.

On the other hand acoustic players - take Bjorn Berge - he doesnt need anything.. anyone else.. he plays bass, guitar, drums (stomping on floor) and sings at once:) That makes a lot.. with guitar you can at least sing and play chords.. with bass.. not.. So its harder to impress and have fun when you dont have band..

Btw. I plan to go for base at some time.. I just love its sound:)

Posted by: Sami Feb 22 2008, 09:33 PM

hahah not true for me, around the time that i started guitar it upset my gf alot cause she felt as if i was doing what she wanted to do(music, yeah she was kinda selfish lol) and it led to us braking up haha. I have to admit it does help with girls, but i find i care about my guitar more than i do girls

Posted by: Hisham Feb 22 2008, 10:39 PM

in my openian most of people like an melodyc instruments .and they like to hear a melody
more than rythmic instruments .

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 22 2008, 10:46 PM

Than you are on a good way my friend!




Yes I think this may be the strongest point here! People that start to play want to be able to play at home songs and often sing along or allow other to do it..With bass its little hard to do..But than again playing both instruments at home along with favorite CDs can be fun (if you don't sing just play)

Posted by: heyoka05 Feb 23 2008, 12:24 AM

honestly i believe its because everyone wants to do the sweet solos and insane riffs dont get me wrong bass is awsome too but im really(like many others) drawn to guitar. but dont diss bassists they are a crucial part of a band.
later

Posted by: RIP Dime Feb 23 2008, 12:37 AM

I played bass before switching to guitar, it was just easier for me to make music by myself with guitar. Since I like Rock based music and Rock is usually guitar oriented.

Posted by: Smells Feb 23 2008, 12:47 AM

Well adding to my earlier post I gotta say, I just got back from a rehearsal where we are forming a new band a was trying out a drummer, we still need a Bass player so the other guitarist and I shared Bass duties for tonight and my finger tips are bloomin killing me!! Not only that but the slightest "off" note and it sticks out like a sore thumb, playing the guitar you can get away with the odd slip here n there, most people dont even notice unless its super bad, but on the Bass you hear everything!

I already had respect for Bass players but tonight has just bought a whole new meaning to the word "respect"!

Posted by: Zephyr Feb 23 2008, 12:50 AM

It's just the more popular instrument, and, sadly, I think the reason most people today get into music is just because they think it's cool.

Posted by: wylde guitar Feb 23 2008, 01:20 AM

I'd say either that more people play guitar because of these things
1. Girls Girls Girls
2. More easily shredded on
3. When listening to music guitars louder
4. More famous guitarists than famous bassists, so more influence
5. Guitars kick ass

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Feb 23 2008, 04:22 AM

Yeah, I did a good few rehearsals where I stood in for a bass player - I really enjoyed it, it gave me a whole new take on the music, but it seemed like hard work compared to guitar (probably just my perception). Overall I was glad to be back in guitarland, with a healthy respect for Bass Players who belong in a twilight between percussion and guitar, and who are absolutely essential to a good band!

Posted by: Joe Kataldo Feb 23 2008, 07:31 AM

Because Guitar is Sexy

Posted by: Seamonster Feb 23 2008, 07:55 AM

I played bass for years. I loved it, but later on I got interested in playing neoclassical, and it just made sense to switch to guitar.

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 23 2008, 02:33 PM

In rhythm off note will stick out ok..But I thought the opposite , Its easier to notice mistakes of vocals and guitarists live , because they are in higher frequencies..With bass you are going to notice it too but you won't exactly (as audience member) know what happened and who is to blame..In time you can learn not to play off notes and rather just skip them and not play those notes at all..When my mind wonders off on stage and I hit mistake I just momentarily stop playing at that moment and quickly concentrate on whats the next note and continue there..So I just make a brief pause there and that is surly unnoticeable..Of course if you are going to miss basic roots of the chords that guitar plays that is going to be heard surly! And yes fingers will hurt but you will very fast get "on the track" as with everything.. I'm really glad you had this insight on bass playing Smells



But bass is so much bigger and guitar after that looks like a little toy

Posted by: Nemanja Feb 23 2008, 02:35 PM

first of all..great topic...I think that is because guitar is trough history become popular and attractive instrument,more than bass..and it is more of a front man instrument then bass.but then again there is Lemmy:)

Posted by: Smells Feb 23 2008, 02:42 PM

I was so glad when we swapped and I was back on the guitar, I agree also it really was or seemed hard work in comparison, but I guess thats all about knowing the instrument.

BTW Bogdan I think this was a great topic !

I`ve never really thought about "why guitar compared to Bass", I guess for me I prefer playing the melodies (not that I`m that melodic lol) and I just love the sound of a crunching screaming guitar, as I mentioned earlier my brother plays the Bass and hes always said he just much prefers the concept of Bass, driving the band along with the drummer and prefers the deeper tones from the Bass.

Posted by: Muris Feb 23 2008, 05:01 PM

You're able to do more things on guitar,I believe that's the reason.
Of course,every serious player understands how bass is important.

Posted by: USAMAN Feb 23 2008, 05:03 PM

Lemmy=god........ugly god but god none the less

walks away with..."time to play the game......muhhahahaha" stuck in head.

Posted by: SLASH91 Feb 23 2008, 05:45 PM

I think bass is highly important...I just feel like guitar would be far more fun to play by yourself. Bass it seems like you have to have a band, or it would be really boring.

Posted by: The Spartan Feb 23 2008, 06:51 PM

cuz I can hear it ?

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 23 2008, 07:51 PM

You can hear it if you want And at live concerts you can't miss it , often drums and bass are very loud because of PA systems and how they are distributed (subs and highs)

Posted by: swingline Feb 23 2008, 08:24 PM

I still think that its because the bass is like linemen in (American) Football. They are extremely important but they don't get the recognition. What position does everyone want to play; QB, Wide Receiver, Running Back. Its also like how every guitarist want to play lead. There are exceptions but with rock, metal, ect. this is the case.

Posted by: Davidian Feb 24 2008, 12:55 PM

About the bass not being melodic...
Check out the bass lines from Rise Against.
I like those bass lines a lot.

My brother plays the bass. And sometimes I pick it up, and just play a little. It's nice
But I like the guitar more... Maybe that's because I don't excactly know how to play the bass good.

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 24 2008, 02:47 PM

Flea's bass lines are melodic too..But not in a guitar chords type of way..But there are many bassists that got great melodies in their lines..